Taliban kill senior British officer

The huge offensive against the Taliban launched yesterday by US Marines in Helmand Province has been overshadowed for the British by a major coup for the militants - the killing of the highest ranking British officer to die in action since the Falklands War. He is Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, commanding officer of the Welsh Guards, who died when his Viking armoured vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb. The blast killed another soldier, Trooper Joshua Hammond of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, and wounded six others.

Lt Col Thorneloe had left his base to visit his men in hostile territory north of Lashkar Gah in the Helmand River valley when the bomb was detonated as they approached a canal crossing.

The last British commanding officer to be killed in action was Col 'H' Jones, VC, of the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment. He died leading his men in the attack on Goose Green in the Falklands in 1982.

Like Jones, Lt Col Thorneloe was a highly regarded officer and seen as a high flier within the Army. He had previously served as military assistant to Des Browne, the former Defence Secretary.

He leaves a wife Sally and two daughters. In a statement released last night, Sally, said: "Rupert was my very best friend and his death is a devastating blow... Hannah and Sophie will have to grow up without their beloved Daddy, although I will see a part of him in them every day. I could not have asked for a more caring, adoring and loving husband and father."

Trooper Hammon, who enlisted at 16, and had been deployed to Afghanistan only a month ago, was a week short of his 19th birthday when he died. He was engaged to be married. His family said: "Joshua was a tremendous son. He was proud to be a soldier and died doing a job he loved. We are proud of the fact that Joshua was prepared to do his duty, helping the people of Afghanistan."

Questions are being asked about why the men were travelling in a Viking, which is well known to be susceptible to roadside bombs, one of the Taliban militants' favourite weapons. The Viking is due to be withdrawn from Afghanistan at the end of the year and replaced by the better protected Warthog; in the meantime, it is supposed to be used only in low-risk circumstances.

Thorneloe's men were taking part in Operation Panther's Claw, a British mission launched two weeks ago to drive the Taliban out of the area surrounding Lashkar Gah in the northern Helmand River valley. Like the massive American Operation Khanjar launched further south yesterday, the purpose of the British operation is to enable local people to take part in the presidential election planned for August 20. The Taliban had vowed to kill any Afghans who voted.

Since Lt Col Thorneloe and Trooper Hammond died, a third wave of Operation Panther's Claw has been launched, with 700 troops from the Light Dragoons and 2 Mercian taking part.

Meanwhile, the US Marines' Operation Khanjar has met less resistance than expected in the first 24 hours, though one Marine is reported killed.

The Americans are also reported to have had a soldier kidnapped by the Taliban close to the Pakistani border two days before Operation Khanjar was launched. US military spokeswoman Capt Elizabeth Mathias said: "We have all available resources out there looking for him and hopefully providing for his safe return."